


The right word for the wrong feeling

by Prawnperson



Category: Don’t Starve (Video Game)
Genre: At one point, Cuddling, F/M, Fluff, Past Tense, WX thinks about big stuff, emotional decisions, walking and thinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-05
Updated: 2019-07-05
Packaged: 2020-06-09 22:00:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19484878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Prawnperson/pseuds/Prawnperson
Summary: WX-78 has a very skewed concept of human relationships, and by their standards, they’re all ridiculous, fleeting little affairs. Their own, however, is a very different matter.





	The right word for the wrong feeling

“HOW MUCH CAN YOU LIKE SOMEONE BEFORE IT BECOMES AN AFFLICTION?”

Wilson stares at WX-78 incredulously before giving a small laugh.

“Pardon me?”

“YOU HEARD.”

The robot is standing rigidly in front of him, fists clenched at their sides and staring at the ground with an almost frightening intensity.

“Whatever do you mean by that?”

Wickerbottom chides gently. WX scowls and folds their arms, rolling their head to look off at the far walls bordering the camp. They know exactly what started this, and who’s to blame.

———

“Do you ever do the cold bed dance?”

Walani had asked, snuggled up against WX underneath their blankets, her clothes folded up in the corner of the tent in favour of lying in her underwear.

“IF YOU’RE COLD YOU CAN PUT YOUR TOP BACK ON.”

Walani had chirped a small giggle before shimmying closer, arms wrapped around their neck.

“No, I mean, look.”

And with that, she had started to wiggle violently, as though she were on fire. It looked ridiculous, her squirming and bobbing, tongue stuck out like she was deep in concentration. When watching it, WX had felt pangs of heat in their chest like nothing else they’d never experienced before, expression melting to one of soft affection. 

“YOU LOOK LIKE A WORM.”

“Thank you!”

———

“I AM BROKEN.”

WX insists. Wickerbottom peers at them from under her glasses.

“You aren’t broken, dear. You’re experiencing emotions.”

With a small hiss, WX steps back as though they’ve been burned. Wilson does his best to suppress a laugh.

“DON’T BE DISGUSTING.”

“What’s disgusting?”

WX jumps whenever they hear Walani behind them, protesting noises coming from their internal systems.

“NOTHING. WILSON.”

Walani smiles at them and begins talking to the others, Leaving WX to excuse themselves to nobody in particular.

———

The notion that taking a walk will help clear your head is a very human one, and to add to it, a very British one, but WX supposes that it’s the best chance they have of sorting this whole thing out other than ripping out their CPU in the middle of the desert and letting the hounds come after them. 

It’s cold out, and it helps them think.

They like Walani. They really do. She’s funny, small, pretty. Not the smartest, but certainly bright. She’s chock full of personality WX should hate, but the thing is, they feel the complete opposite. They just aren’t sure what to call it now. 

Like feels like too weak a word. They aren’t sure what comes beyond that. There is, of course, the disgusting notion of ‘love’. A meaningless word fleshlings created long ago to give their meaningless, temporary flings false importance. What other words could they even say to her?

I admire you?

I treasure you?

I value you?

All of the options they can come up make them sound sickeningly weak, and overwhelming vulnerable. They hate this confusion.

With a heavy sigh, WX leans against a pine tree, bristles brushing against their back. Why must these stupid things be so difficult. WX feels almost sorry for Walani. If they can’t think about this with their superior processing power, what chance does she stand?

Maybe love isn’t such a stupid notion. Maybe it’s the right word to describe the fluttering heat their faulty modules produce around her. Maybe it’s the correct expression for the gentle thump in their chest that follows her laughing. Maybe it’s just the term they need to understand every single new and exciting and terrifying thing she brings up for them.

The problem is, how do they begin telling her that?

**Author's Note:**

> Walani’s like  
> Best quality: Her wiggles.


End file.
